Upgrading to XP

[Bob]

Would you believe I can't get Microsoft to answer this
question? They referred me here. I currently run 98SE
and thinking about upgrading. System requirements state I
must have at least 1GB disk space. Is this for install
only? Does the install delete the 98 program? Approx how
big is the XP program after install? I have a small hard
drive (3GB) with 1GB of unused space. Is an
install/update possible?

 

[Nicholas]

You'll need 1.5 gigabyte (GB) of available hard disk space for installation.

Here's What You Need to Use Windows XP Home Edition:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation/sysreqs.asp

Download and use the latest version of the XP Upgrade Advisor:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

Upgrading to Windows XP from Windows 9x/Me
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_9xupgrade.asp


--
Nicholas

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| Would you believe I can't get Microsoft to answer this
| question? They referred me here. I currently run 98SE
| and thinking about upgrading. System requirements state I
| must have at least 1GB disk space. Is this for install
| only? Does the install delete the 98 program? Approx how
| big is the XP program after install? I have a small hard
| drive (3GB) with 1GB of unused space. Is an
| install/update possible?

 

[D. Klinge]

Did you know that you can get upwards of 160 Gigs for $129 right now?

 

[Perdita X. Dream]

Would you believe I can't get Microsoft to answer this
question? They referred me here. I currently run 98SE
and thinking about upgrading. System requirements state I
must have at least 1GB disk space. Is this for install
only? Does the install delete the 98 program? Approx how
big is the XP program after install? I have a small hard
drive (3GB) with 1GB of unused space. Is an
install/update possible?

Suggest you run the upgrade advisor
(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp)
before doing anything. Please note, however, it's a 50MB download and will
take upwards of three hours to download over 56K. 3GB is nowhere near big
enough. The installation is 1.5GB, then there's the swapfile, virtual
memory, not to mention Office and whatever else you might want to install. I
would say that you need at least a 15GB drive. A 40GB can be purchased for
about $50 - may I suggest you consider upgrading? You might, when all's said
and done, be better off purchasing a new system with XP preinstalled. You
don't give the rest of your system specs but the last system I had a 3GB
hard drive on was a P133 running 95. If your specs are of that vintage (and,
as you say you've read the box, they can't be) then you're better off giving
XP a wide berth.

Do you really *need* to upgrade? Putting a new OS on an older (some might
say ageing) system could be construed as a retrograde step, as the older
hardware may not be able to cope with the demands XP will put on it.